GENERAL INFORMATION:

 

What is EMDR therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.

 

The American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs/Dept. of Defense, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the World Health Organization among many other national and international organizations recognize EMDR therapy as an effective treatment.

 

EMDRIA.org website: www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy

Video explaining EMDR: youtu.be/Pkfln-ZtWeY

​

How is EMDR therapy different from other therapies?

EMDR therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue or
completing homework between sessions. EMDR therapy, rather than focusing on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue, allows the brain to resume its natural healing process.

​

EMDR therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain. For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies.

​

Who can benefit from EMDR therapy?

EMDR therapy helps children and adults of all ages. Therapists use EMDR therapy to address a wide range of challenges:

• Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias

• Chronic Illness and medical issues

• Depression and bipolar disorders

• Dissociative disorders

• Eating disorders

• Grief and loss

• Pain

• Performance anxiety

• Personality disorders

• PTSD and other trauma and stress-related issues

• Sexual assault

• Sleep disturbance

• Substance abuse and addiction

​

How does EMDR therapy affect the brain?

Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. This process involves communication between the amygdala (the alarm signal for stressful events), the hippocampus (which assists with learning, including memories about safety and danger), and the prefrontal cortex (which analyzes and controls behavior and emotion). While many times traumatic experiences can be managed and resolved spontaneously, they may not be processed without help.

​

Stress responses are part of our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts. When distress from a disturbing event remains, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create feelings of overwhelm, of being back in that moment, or of being “frozen in time.” EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories, and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.”

​

Typical time investment?  

EMDR is often more efficient at processing memories, symptoms, etc as it is using the Adaptive Information Processing System of the person sitting in the office.  The EMDR processing component has the goal of using the body’s inherent ability to heal, rather than trying to focus on behavioral changes.

 

The time investment will depend on trauma history, the resiliency of the brain/body and the amount of time available for processing by the therapist and the client. 

​

Cost of session?

Typically an EMDR session is the same cost as other types of therapy, please check with your provider. 

 

How do I find an EMDR trained therapist?

If you are looking for someone trained specifically in the model that I work with, please check out EMDRConsulting.com and use the Find a therapist link. www.emdrconsulting.com/find-a-therapist

 

Also check out EMDRIA.org and their find a therapist link: www.emdria.org/find-a-therapist

 

Can EMDR be done virtually?

Yes, EMDR can be done virtually with a therapist who is trained to do EMDR via telehealth. Please check with your provider about options for doing EMDR virtually.